Inside the NBA

Sun Block  

Eighth-seeded Phoenix is creating tough matchups for the Spurs

By Ian Thomsen

The Spurs' reward for having the league's best record turned out to be a first-round matchup from hell. When rookie forward Amare Stoudemire banked in a three at the end of regulation in Game 1 last Saturday and Phoenix teammate Stephon Marbury did the same in overtime, the eighth-seed Suns claimed a shocking 96-95 win, their fourth victory in five games with San Antonio this season. Though the Spurs bounced back to win Game 2 on Monday, 84-76, they're in a unexpectedly tough fight.

The rangy Suns can swarm Duncan and still guard the perimeter. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

The top threat to the NBA's top team comes from the 6'2", 205-pound Marbury, one of the league's strongest point guards. "You see Steph take off and go up against 6'10" guys," says Mavericks center Evan Eschmeyer, who played with Marbury for two years in New Jersey, "and a lot of times the 6'10" guy loses the battle because Steph is so powerful." Imagine the difficulties for the Spurs' Tony Parker, who gives up nearly 30 pounds to Marbury: In their regular-season matchups Marbury dominated Parker in scoring (32.5 points per game to 10.3), assists (8.8 to 5.0) and shooting percentage (53.8 to 29.2).

While Marbury was pouring in 58 points on 40.0% shooting in the first two games of the series, Parker had only nine on 15.0%. In Game 2 Speedy Claxton (10 points), took over for the foul-plagued Parker, who looked worn out trying to stop Marbury. "But then I say to myself, He's a competitive kid, he's 20 years old, he should be able to play all day long," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich says. "Plus he has no choice."

San Antonio will need a herculean effort by Tim Duncan against the Suns' constant double teaming. On Monday, with the Spurs down 68-63, Duncan scored seven of their next 10 points, giving them the lead for good with 5:27 remaining. Still, Duncan had only 39 points in the first two games, and those numbers might be hard to improve upon with David Robinson listed as day-to-day after suffering a cartilage tear of the left medial meniscus at the end of Game 1.

If San Antonio can escape the first round, the Spurs know that the West's other powers -- the Kings, Lakers and Mavericks -- don't have point guards capable of roughing up Parker. Nor will any of those opponents be as successful at doubling Duncan as Phoenix has been so far. And when Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson and Penny Hardaway -- each of them 6'7" -- collapse on him, their quickness and long arms allow them to contest the jump shots that come when Duncan kicks the ball back outside. "The thing nobody's talking about with the Suns is that they led the league in defensive three-point percentage, and it's because they're so tall and athletic on the perimeter," Popovich says, noting that San Antonio was a woeful 23.1% from the three-point line against Phoenix during the season and shot 21.3% from the arc in the first two games of this series.

The Spurs can only hope to improve those numbers in the second round -- if they get there.

Issue date: April 28, 2003

For more Inside the NBA see this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands Wednesday, April 23. Click here to subscribe to SI.

 

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April 28, 2003 Issue of Sports Illustrated

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